[Azimuth]

Nah, you've got it wrong there- the new processor is a different physical chip, which improves performance too

Thanks for that. I wonder what effect it will have on image quality?

[tohax]

As we know, with Pentax anything is possible.
They could decide to announce 3 new DSLRs and 15 new lenses, or nothing at all except a new colour for the 645D.

LOL you're right

[monochrome]

I rather think K-r chassis (incl. OVF and mirror) with K-01 internals.

+1 - even if it isn't released until later in spring, that's a good bet.

[Fontan]

Thanks for that. I wonder what effect it will have on image quality?

Not much.

[Unsinkable II]

you take the newest aps-c 24mp sensor from Sony, the new M engine from k-01 throw it into a k5.... there is your pro model...
keep the k-5, but add the m processing engine and a few upgrades to video..... there is your mid tier model
take the guts from the k-5 put them into a kr (or even better a retro mz5n styled) body.... there is your kr replacement.

evolution, not revolution....

Pentax just needs to get some competent upgrades to existing models out there.

Very logical. Like.

[Winder]

you take the newest aps-c 24mp sensor from Sony, the new M engine from k-01 throw it into a k5.... there is your pro model...
keep the k-5, but add the m processing engine and a few upgrades to video..... there is your mid tier model
take the guts from the k-5 put them into a kr (or even better a retro mz5n styled) body.... there is your kr replacement.

evolution, not revolution....

Pentax just needs to get some competent upgrades to existing models out there.

Tell how good is this new PRIME M engine?

It appears it is only 12-bit. Not 14-bit like the PRIME II in the K-5.

K-5 has a max ISO 51,200
K-01 has a max of ISO 25,600
Looks like the K-5 has better high ISO.

CDAF uses the image processor to handle AF. My guess is the PRIME M is optimized for CDAF and HD Video. Don't expect the IQ from the K-01 to match, much less exceed the K-5.

[Winder]

Nah, you've got it wrong there- the new processor is a different physical chip, which improves performance too- i.e. it lets you shoot video at a higher framerate and probably flushes the buffer out faster.

I don't think that is the case. I think it is optimized for CDAF and not IQ. IQ will be worse than the K-5.

If you have some specification for the new PRIME M please post them.

[pinholecam]

I'd really rather the new products come out later in the year.
The new 24mp APS-C from Sony is just a boring MP upgrade from the current 16mp one.
Let Ricoh synergise with Pentax for sometime up till later in the year for a newer and more interesting camera (I hope)

[ogl]

Tell how good is this new PRIME M engine?

It appears it is only 12-bit. Not 14-bit like the PRIME II in the K-5.

K-5 has a max ISO 51,200
K-01 has a max of ISO 25,600
Looks like the K-5 has better high ISO.

CDAF uses the image processor to handle AF. My guess is the PRIME M is optimized for CDAF and HD Video. Don't expect the IQ from the K-01 to match, much less exceed the K-5.

14-bit and ISO range are not processor's features. K-7 has PRIME II processor too.

Better for video means faster work in all ways.

By the way, K-01 has new version of 16 MP sensor. Could be better.

[Fontan]

I am switching brands if Pentax does not come out with the 850mp sensor with max ISO of 8.5 million soon. I know it will change my photography, but only until higher spec model comes out in 11 months. It is a travesty of pathological proportion.

[Winder]

14-bit and ISO range are not processor's features. K-7 has PRIME II processor too.

Better for video means faster work in all ways.

By the way, K-01 has new version of 16 MP sensor. Could be better.

The K-7 was optimized for Video, so it must be better than the older K20 sensor right? No. not that simple. Being optimized for video does not improve still picture IQ.

Fujitsu image processor found in the K-7 is not the same one found in the K-5 even though Pentax puts the PRIME II brand on both of them. Just like not every Intel i7 processor is the same even though they all say i7 on them. I have no idea who makes the chip in the K-01, but Pentax does not make their own image processors

ISO range and the number of bits are a good indication of the image processor performance. There is a lot more information to be processed in a 14-bit 6,400 ISO image than in a 12-bit 100 ISO image. Simply look at file size. ISO 6,400: the 14-bit K-5 gives you 30MB files. The 12-bit D7000 gives you 23MP files. 25% more information to be processed.

Can you post a link explaining the differences between the "old 16MP" and the "new 16MP" Sony sensor? Differences in IQ found across all the different cameras using the 16MP sensor can be attributed to a lot of different factors, but the image processor is probably the biggest.

[Caat]

The K-7 wasn't optimized for video, it was a feature that was added. The K20d did not have video just a fast low res stills mode.

Additionally the K-7 has vastly improved handling of pattern noise.

[gazonk]

I'd really rather the new products come out later in the year.
The new 24mp APS-C from Sony is just a boring MP upgrade from the current 16mp one.
Let Ricoh synergise with Pentax for sometime up till later in the year for a newer and more interesting camera (I hope)

24mp is quite a bit more than 16... But I guess they could also release a "K-5 Super" with better video and cdaf as a preliminary stop-gap solution.

[ogl]

The K-7 was optimized for Video, so it must be better than the older K20 sensor right? No. not that simple. Being optimized for video does not improve still picture IQ.
Fujitsu image processor found in the K-7 is not the same one found in the K-5 even though Pentax puts the PRIME II brand on both of them. Just like not every Intel i7 processor is the same even though they all say i7 on them. I have no idea who makes the chip in the K-01, but Pentax does not make their own image processors


Can you post a link explaining the differences between the "old 16MP" and the "new 16MP" Sony sensor? Differences in IQ found across all the different cameras using the 16MP sensor can be attributed to a lot of different factors, but the image processor is probably the biggest.

All image processors are made by Fujitsu. DIGIC and Maestro and so on.

I'd like you understand simple thing: bit info and ISO range are not the features of processor or motheboard (hardware).

ISO and bits could be tweaked by software.

Being optimized for video does not improve still picture IQ.
It could be - YES. And it could be NO. Because, we have no any inside info about K-01's processor.

We have no any information about K-01's sensor manufacturer. Sony or smth else. We can see at Pentax sites - newly developed sensor. It's all.

K-01 has no even 1.00 firmware.
We can compare IQ of K-01 and K-5 only in 2 months. IMO.

[Winder]

All image processors are made by Fujitsu. DIGIC and Maestro and so on.

I'd like you understand simple thing: bit info and ISO range are not the features of processor or motheboard (hardware).

ISO and bits could be tweaked by software.

Being optimized for video does not improve still picture IQ.
It could be - YES. And it could be NO. Because, we have no any inside info about K-01's processor.

We have no any information about K-01's sensor manufacturer. Sony or smth else. We can see at Pentax sites - newly developed sensor. It's all.

K-01 has no even 1.00 firmware.
We can compare IQ of K-01 and K-5 only in 2 months. IMO.

The number of bits & ISO are not "features" of the image processor, but they do indicate what the image processor is capable of handling. Since Pentax has reduced the RAWs down to 12-bit and reduced the ISO range down from the K-5 I think it is a safe bet that the image processor can not handle it. Unless you think it has the exact same image processor and Pentax is just crippling the IQ of the camera to protect K-5 sales. Either way, the K-01 does not have the bit depth or the ISO range of the K-5.

There is no indication that the PRIME M will be better than PRIME II.